Bottom Bracket Bites The Dust

 

Once again, Ursula's front mech began misbehaving. The first time, I returned and discovered some slop in the Hollowtech II crankset. Hmm, curious, but nothing a quick tweak of the bearing tension wouldn't fix, right? 

The following outing and yep, the play hard returned, signalling the ti bottom bracket's cartridge bearings were spent. I'd bought a couple of XT units in preparation for this, or similar expiry.  No time like the present.

Being well greased, the crankset and bottom bracket released very easily. I gave Ursula's bottom bracket shell a careful cleaning, introduced some Oxford Mint Assembly Grease Oxford Mint Assembly Grease | cycling-not-racing, applied a light coating to the XT bottom bracket and then sped it home.  Talking of grease, Steve’s been long term testing this Blub Lithium GreaseBlub Lithium Grease | cycling-not-racing

I went the deep clean route with the rings and spider a ride or two later but was more concerned with getting everything home and ruling out anything else. I reached for the Peaty’s Speed GreasePEATY'S SPEED GREASE | cycling-not-racing and applied this to the Deore cranksets axle, reducing the friction, while keeping corrosion and similar hassles at bay. A quick nudge of the 10mm preload cap, confirmed my diagnosis was correct, the titanium unit’s ceramic bearings were indeed shot.

Double checked, I wound the pinch bolts home to 14nm, spun the cranks-all sorted. Another little job off the list, although in retrospect, I might've been better served going for the XT following Ursula's frame refurb and modification.  Some greasy finger marks adorning the right chainstay and bottom bracket shell were effortlessly dismissed with the BBB Bio Ready wash and a retired sock.

During this phase, I was also convinced I had another, a third Hollowtech II bottom bracket hiding away in the spares boxes. With a little time on my hands, I took this opportunity to root around, emerging victorious. It features the usual fit n’ forget bearings, aluminium cups and a composite component. This saves 20g or so over the titanium Van Nicholas, although I’m confident the bearings won’t last nearly so long.  Nice to have another handy, though-even if only as a stop-gap.

A few weeks and many mixed terrain miles down the line, the CST Patrol continue to impress with their all-rounder prowess, proving suitably swift on pockmarked asphalt, unmade roads and dirt trails. Impossible to comment on their mud churning prowess given it's been refreshingly dry of late. The EPS belt seems similarly effective at keeping flints and other sharps from causing mischief. However, rains and boggy conditions may tell a different story.  

Staying with tyres and inflation, I’m extremely fond of mini-inflators, which while not quite magic bullets, save time and effort when recovering from wounded butyl. I’ve tested a fair few in recent months and to date, my favourite is the CYC PLUS AS2 Pro Max E PumpCycPlus AS2 Pro Max E.Pump | cycling-not-racing . The relatively large battery will inflate up to 4 tyres between charges, which is great for longer rides, especially bigger volume gravel and mountain bike rubber. It also features a digital pressure gauge, taking the guesswork out of things, so there’s only operator error to blame if you’ve whacked in too much pressure.

More compact models fit better in jersey pockets. I’m fond of Muc Off’s Air Mach Electric Mini Inflator Muc-Off Air Mach Electric Mini Inflator | cycling-not-racing  it charges from zero to 100 in 25 minutes and capable of 100psi. However, and this goes for other designs with 7.5v 300mAh batteries, I’d advocate carrying a decent pump as a backup, should you succumb to a further, or multiple flats during a ride.

Against this backdrop, I’d spotted their PRO version, which in my view is a great improvement and could give the competition a good run for your hard earned. £100 buys a model capable of 120psi and will inflate up to 4 tyres between charges, which only take a few minutes longer than the standard model. This is also quite impressive, given Muc-Off has opted for a 7.4v 450mAh, which improves power output but without unduly increasing bulk.  

The Pro also incorporates a digital gauge and auto cutout when the desired pressure is reached, which is super convenient and a very welcome upgrade. Other improvements include a screw on extension hose for TPU valves since these can melt (it’s also recommended when tackling Schrader), a ball needle for footballs, beach balls and similar items we may pick up on a family, or group ride.

The instructions give guide times for various tyre sizes when fully charged. 26inch isn’t included but there are sufficient comparators for me to cross reference claims during testing.   

This Velo21 mini adjustable torque driver wrench. Unlike the preset types I’ve been testing recently, its adjustable between 4, 5 and 6nm, which should cater for contact points- a seat post adjustment, loose stem face, Aheadset bearings, cable pinch bolts, 6 bolt disc rotors, disc callipers to name but a few. Formative impressions are favourable, as is the price, so we'll see what the next few weeks and regular fettling reveal...  

 

Torque & Spring Tuning

 

I like torque wrenches and if not essential in the life and death sense, they’re increasingly necessary when working on modern bikes. An overly stressed component can snap at best leaving you out of pocket or resulting in a potentially nasty accident. This wallet friendly MPart Torque wrench has been my faithful workshop companion for several years now and highly intuitive to use. It caters for most of the fleet’s needs.  

However, there are some parts that require a little extra. Back story done, Oxford sent me their Torque wrench with a range between 2 and 22nm. Obviously, this won’t entertain cassette lockrings and square taper crank bolts, which need closer to 50nm, but otherwise, this range caters for everything from a bottle cage, mudguard mount, or derailleur jockey wheel to old school quill stems.  

Made from hardened chrome vanadium steel, setting the torque is simple, just a little counter-intuitive, coming from the M-Part and induced speedy referral to the (thankfully included) instructions but essentially boils down to turning the base/handle clockwise until it aligns with your desired torque. In common with the MPart, the wrench itself is ratcheted, which is super convenient from the perspectives of speed and efficiency, especially in tighter spaces.   Ursula’s front mech turned temperamental again, a quick turn of the adjustment screw and a gentle pinch of the front mech’s nose cured this, the chain skipping from big to small rings without missing a beat once more.  

Spring is synonymous with seasonal fettling and usually involves a good washing and hard paste waxing of some sort. Having done so, I decided it prudent to put some dead butyl to good use, dressing Denise and Ursula’s top tubes to avoid dings (should the bar end shifters catch in a tumble with terra firma, or the bars swing back with force).  

This also presented an opportunity to dress Ursula and fixed gear winter trainer’s Topeak racks to prevent further abrasion from pannier hardware. I also tweaked Ursula’s rear TRP Spyre, gave both bikes a good clean using this BBB Bio Ready Wash Bike Shampoo, finishing off with the brand’s Bio Gloss Bike Wax Polish (since they’re also on my test bench).  The ready wash, as its name suggests requires no water and isn’t designed for lightly soiled bikes. Spray on and buff to a shine with a microfibre cloth. Great from the convenience standpoint.  How it compares to something like this Motoverde Waterless Wash & WaxMotoverde Waterless Wash & Wax | cycling-not-racing remains to be seen (although it’s worth saying the Motoverde is also a good bit dearer)   

I’ve switched the fabulous Lomo ZephyrLomo Zephyr Waterproof Panniers | cycling-not-racing for this Altura Thunderstorm City Pannier. It’s another roll top design, meeting IPX6 for water resistance but a little smaller (20 litres) and claimed to have a ten-kilo maximum payload. It employs Rixen Kaul fitting hardware for limpet-like tenure to most diameters of rack tubing-easily tweaked with a few turns of a Philips screwdriver.  

I also like the closure system, which lacks the outright speed, dare I say convenience of a quick release buckle, but is more readily repairable, should it fail. A small thing, but I also like the light loop and the subtle retro reflective flecks. Oh, if black’s not er, your bag it also comes in a more stereotypically “commuter”  fluro yellow. 

Internally, it also employs sleeves to safely arrest and segregate 13-inch laptops and similar tech, or indeed, other items, such as a U lock. There’s a stiffener at the wall (where it rests against the rack) but unlike the Lomo, no scuff protection around the base- not unusual and an observation, rather than criticism. I’ve had a few off-road excursions with it and even moderately laden, no rattles and the mounting hardware has held 10mm tubing like the proverbial limpet.   

It has also been a good time to check butyl stocks, and I’m pleased to report several have been successfully patched, so could rejoin their respective panniers. A decent quality patch kit and patches are another of those unsung heroes of the toolkit. I pension tubes off after three patches but am firmly of the persuasion that I want the best chance of the patch and ultimately repair time effective. Right, off to play with the CST Patrol again...         

Schools Of Thought: Crossroads & Sub Genres

 

 

After some deliberation and allowing my mind to run free, nostalgia catapulted me to Specialized Crossroads Armadillo. These were a little heavier than a pure bred, wire bead XC tyre of the time but were still relatively quick on tarmac, capable on the trail, unmade roads and highly puncture resistant. I don’t actually recall succumbing to a flat, which is impressive given I was tackling the capital’s litter strewn, pock marked streets and letting loose on the trails come the weekend.    

Still relevant for off road touring, gravel and similar duties. I hummed and erred about a pair but reasoned, I’d go this route at the rear and leave the Cross King up front, or possibly a 1.95 Schwalbe Land Cruiser with the K guard puncture protection.  

I was also conscious of the old mantra...Use what you've got, acquire what you need.  The Schwalbe Land Cruiser with K guard weren't quite as dependable when it comes to puncture resistance- I'd succumbed to a couple of flints during some very wet, mucky rides during the winter of 2022.  

 

However, the Land Cruiser would be leading up front, the Specialized behind. I'd traditionally been of the belief that rear punctures were more common due to the increased weight and ultimately, wear. A rationale I still subscribe to. Then of course, wet conditions provide much easier passage for sharps. However, there's a school of thought suggesting that sharps lie flat, get flicked upright by the front tyre and then cut through the rear casing as we ride over it.  

 

Factors such as tyre pressure and tube health obviously play their part but it's an interesting hypothesis and supports the argument for shodding the rear wheel with a more robust, puncture repelling tyre.  Some suggest there is a tangible performance benefit from running a slightly narrower tyre on the rear, on the grounds of improved rolling resistance, improved traction in wetter, muddier conditions.  

 

Ursula’s rear triangle will manage 2.3 without tickling the chainstays, but something slightly narrower improves clearance.   As the photo illustrates, the 1.9-inch Specialized offers oodles more. Back in the early 90s, 1.95 and 2.1 inches were pretty much standard, with 1.75 still doing the rounds.   

 

Then of course, these CST Patrol rolled into view...These feature a tread pattern they say is designed to cope with a broad range of conditions. This might lack the absolute precision of condition specific designs, but also covers most bases, especially in changeable weathers/terrain.  Raised central knobs are designed to reduce rolling resistance, while the aggressive shoulders are designed to bite into soft surfaces when cornering. Ours were the 26x2.25 folding dual compound, 60ti versions with EPS puncture protection.   

26-inch tyres aren't in short supply, but manufacturers are prioritising 27.5, 650b and 29 inches. While there were several reasons influencing Ursula's makeover and disc rear end, futureproofing and the option of switching to 650b, without too much hassle. I'm in no hurry to dive down this rabbit hole and the slightly larger size might influence trail (and therefore handling), but viable options are always nice. 

 

Hardly surprising, given the internet but there are several schools of thought when it comes to gravel bikes.  

 

Some folks argue that mid 90s cross country mountain bikes were essentially gravel bikes. I can certainly see their point and Specialized’s Rock Combo, though slightly earlier is arguably the nearest production comparator, although I lean closer to the ‘cross bike with bigger clearances church, having witnessed a renewed interest in cross twenty-five years ago. This in turn led a steady evolution of cross bikes with mudguard (fender) and rack eyelets, 2-3 bottle cage mounts and increasingly larger tyre clearances. Specialized’s Tri Cross from 2008 being a prime example of this first generation. Again, at the time some folks suggested these were little more than subtly tweaked touring lorries.      

 

Back to 2025, and on a rack related note, here's Steve’s review of the Brae Yonder Brae Cycling Yonder Pannier | cycling-not-racing . Several wet rides along mucky lanes, hedge cuttings and similar nasties hiding in the soft gloop as I sped through, the Pirelli Cinturato haven't missed a beat. Not surprising at this stage, but welcome, nonetheless.